Rangiroa
Rangiroa is Tuamotuan for “vast sky” and is the largest atoll in the Tuamotus, and one of the largest in the world, it’s 40 miles long and 17 miles wide at its widest point. There are about 240 motus (islets) separated by about 130 channels called “hoas” and its two villages, Avatoru and Tiputa are located on two separate motu.
Once again we had to enter through a pass – the Tiputa pass – and we arrived slightly early for the flood (incoming) tide, so spent about 40 minutes outside the pass waiting. However, the slack water we were expecting immediately prior to the flood tide didn’t eventuate, the current kept sweeping out, with white-water and overriding waves in the pass. We learned from a local dive boat skipper that due to very huge swells at the end of the lagoon emptying out and breaking over through the passes on the north east side of the lagoon, there would be no incoming currents for the next few days!
Geoff thought he would be able to run the pass if he kept hard over to the left hand side as close to the reef as he could. Another dive boat skipper in a large RIB thought we could and agreed to come with us and keep between the reef and us. We successfully transited the pass into the lagoon and out around to the right, to the sheltered anchorage of Tiputa village.
Once we’d anchored we all got in the dinghy – the boys keen to get into the water to snorkel. It’s slightly disappointing as there are not a lot of restaurants to enjoy a nice dinner. The two located on the dock were both closed for dinner and we ended up with a small pizzeria being our only choice. However, once we were there we asked if we could move our table out into their garden and it was fabulous, a beautiful pink sunset followed by a full moon – absolutely glorious.
The pass was on the side of their land so we were able to watch a cargo ship endeavouring to get through it. He of course had to travel in the middle of the pass where the current, white-water and waves were worse. He was making very little headway, if any, and we saw him slowly exiting the pass back out to sea, very interesting boat control in these quite extreme conditions.
Thursday 14 July – we had rented bikes for today so after breakfast we were in the dinghy to get into the dock – wow, the wind had picked up so much overnight there were plenty of waves and we all got soaked motoring in. The water had come over the dock, and the outside of the two restaurants was ankle deep – luckily for them they were closed again tonight – we think it is because it’s Bastille Day today, but equally there doesn’t seem to be much in the way of celebrations for it here so who knows!
We picked up the bikes, 3 e-bikes and one pedal bike, the two younger boys riding on a seat at the rear of the e-bikes. But we were one bike short, so I sat on the rack behind Geoff and he pedalled me to another bike rental place further down the road. All sorted, we headed off – it is very flat here, but the roads are really potholed. Geoff left us when we got to the airport in the never-ending quest for wifi! We cycled on as we were keen to see the other village, Avatoru, located 6 miles away at the other end of the atoll. It was a lovely cycle broken up with crossings over the “hoas” along the route.
The wind was strong and the seas were spectacularly rough and awesome to look at, three or four shades of blue and aquamarine with white-water and spray coming over the road. We passed Gauguin’s Pearl Farm which we had marked down as a must-see as they offer a guided tour and it’s possible to see the production technique of the pearls from grafting to harvest. Unfortunately, due to the weather that too was closed! Never mind, on we went and finally reached Avatoru which turned out to be not much more than a supermarket and the Church of St Michel – a pretty church in the most beautiful setting with two very striking statues in the grounds built on rock covered with mother of pearl. That at least was worth the cycle!
We were trying to find a place to have lunch but there were no restaurants or cafes around so we headed back, me to the airport for the famous “Vini Spot” where Geoff and I had prepaid wifi cards, and the others to find a resort with the possibility of lunch. Geoff had texted me to say he was on his way back from the boat to the airport to do some more emails so I had said I’d wait for him there.
The airport, one small square building, was jam-packed as a plane had just landed so the incoming and outgoing passengers were all bunched together, there was a couple of local Tahitian musicians serenading them whilst the “arrivals” were gifted frangipani leis (wish I could have got one, they smelled delicious). I went to the snack bar thinking I could order something and plonk myself down on a table. That didn’t work – the snack bar was about to close. I sat on a table anyway and got my laptop out only to be told, quite brusquely, to leave immediately as the airport was closing! And close it did! Within ten minutes it was empty and the shutters came down. I spent the next 3 hours sitting on the asphalt with my back to the shutters to stay in the Vini Spot zone, with Geoff later joining me to share the precious wifi space.
The two of us cycled back to meet Nick, Kate and the boys at the Kia Ora Hotel, the most luxurious on the island. They were about to head back to the boat, so we took the opportunity to go and have a quick cocktail at the bar as the sun set. It was a great overwater bar – with plenty of water in it!!!!
The day’s waves had topped up their swimming pool and washed all over the beach which was out of bounds. I guess the bar was a good place to be for the day then! We found a nice spot near the balcony’s edge as we weren’t quite as dressed up as the other guests so we didn’t care if we got wet! Two beautiful pina coladas arrived topped with scented floral decorations and smelling sweetly of frangipani – very exotic and the perfect end to the day.
So that brought to a close our visit to the beautiful Tuamotu Islands and tomorrow we’re off on a new adventure to the Society Islands.